Ontario Expanding MRI Services in Kenora

Press Release

November 12, 2024

KENORA — The Ontario government is improving access to diagnostic imaging services and reducing wait times in Kenora by investing up to $7.6 million to build a state-of-the art Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) suite at Lake of the Woods District Hospital (LWDH) to support the first-ever MRI machine in Kenora.

“Under the leadership of Premier Ford, our government is making record investments in health care to connect more people to the care they need, closer to home,” said Sylvia Jones, Deputy Premier and Minister of Health. “With Lake of the Woods District Hospital’s first-ever MRI machine and diagnostic imaging suite, we are making it easier and faster for more families across Northwestern Ontario to access key diagnostic services, in their community, for years to come.”

Through this investment, approximately 1,560 square feet will be renovated at Lake of the Woods District Hospital for a new state-of-the-art MRI suite to house Kenora’s first-ever MRI machine. The new MRI machine will improve timely access to high-quality care in the region and help families, who will no longer have to travel to Thunder Bay to access diagnostic services. With more timely access to care, patients can be diagnosed sooner and receive treatment faster.

“This new MRI suite at Lake of the Woods District Hospital will mean earlier diagnoses, faster treatments, and more time spent at home with loved ones,” said Minister Greg Rickford, Member of Provincial Parliament for Kenora Rainy-River. “It’s an important step forward for accessible health care in Northwestern Ontario and reflects our commitment to ensuring all Ontarians, no matter where they live, have timely access to high-quality care.”

Lake of the Woods Hospital’s first MRI machine will serve patients across Northwestern Ontario, including Kenora, Sioux Narrows and several First Nations Communities. This new machine builds on the 49 new MRI machines in 42 hospitals the Ontario government is adding across the province to increase MRI capacity and services. Ontario is also making it easier and faster for people to connect to publicly-funded surgeries and procedures by adding 100,000 more MRI and CT scans at community surgical and diagnostic centres across the province each year.

As part of Your Health: A Plan for Connected and Convenient Care, the Ontario government is making it faster and easier for people to connect to the care they need, when they need it, in their community, no matter where they live.

Quick Facts

Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) is a non-invasive medical imaging technique that uses magnetic fields and radio waves to take detailed pictures of organs and tissues in the body. MRIs are used to diagnose many health problems, including brain injuries, heart disease and various tumours and cancers.
In addition to the 49 MRI machines the province is adding in hospitals across the province, the Ontario government is expanding publicly funded diagnostic services through community surgical and diagnostic centres, connecting 100,000 more people to services each year.
This is in addition to funding up to 65,568 MRI and 31,220 CT operating hours in existing community surgical and diagnostic centres over the past year.
Ontario has achieved the shortest surgical wait times of any province in Canada in 2023, with nearly 80 per cent of people receiving their procedure within clinically recommended target times.
The province is continuing to grow the health care workforce adding a historic number of new nurses and laboratory technologists through the Ontario Learn and Stay Grant, As of Right rules and the 700 additional education seats for medical radiation and imaging technologists, medical laboratory technologists, medical lab technicians and medical radiation extenders announced in the 2024 budget.
Over the next 10 years, Ontario’s investments will lead to nearly $50 billion in health infrastructure across the province, building 3,000 new beds in addition to the 3,500 beds our government has added since 2020.
The Ontario government is investing more than $228 million this year to support critical infrastructure upgrades and repairs at 129 hospitals and 58 community health care facilities across the province, a 10 per cent increase from last year.

Quotes

“We are so grateful to Minister Greg Rickford for supporting this project and to the Ministry of Health for recognizing the need for an MRI to enhance service access for patients in northern Ontario. This investment by the Province will improve health outcomes in our region.”
– Cheryl O’Flaherty
President and CEO, Lake of the Woods District Hospital

Additional Resources

Your Health: A Plan for Connected and Convenient Care

Ontario Expanding MRI Services in Kenora

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